Facilties at work!

BIGBADBEAR

Hi been commuting to work on and off for thirty years experiencing many different levels of support .from none to helpful , not a really great result ,however during the last three years have been using the Disabled toilet at work ,(larger than toilets stalls and plenty of hooks and a sink) I arrive 30minutes earlier than most but still am drenched with persiration after a 25 min commute, even stripping off and washing I.m still too hot . maybe that being 141/.2 stone but I was wonderinig how every one else copes . Afterall many employers do not provide any facilities for cyclists , I consider myself lucky with what I can use at work ( have 40ft container to lock up bikes , most people use it) but if any one can share their experiences please do ,
What I woulld really wish for would be a shower , how many of you have access to them?

downfader

I often cant access the showers at work (either broken or used like a toilet...) so will take a flannel with me and just flannel down in the sink. I wring out all the water and basically just dry myself with it, or my arms with the hand dryers (again if they are working)

ris

we've got a shower, but most days i'm not foul enough to need it. normally i just rinse a bit if need be, quick towel off and then into my work togs.

if it is properly warm (so not much over the last couple of summers ) then i use the shower.

woodford2barbican

Just changed jobs to one where the building has a healthclub in the basement for the use of the offices housed in the building - so am very spoilt.

TrailandTrack.co.uk

The company I work for has full shower and changing room facilities with lockers, separate to the toilets. Showers work and are hot! Plus, they get cleaned a couple of times a day by the cleaners who do the toilets in general.

Outside we have a good covered bike lockup area which resembles an alpine lodge in my opinion.

Cant fault the setup at my workplace at all. We also have a groupwide Cycle to Work scheme which for once I am going to use to get a new bike this year.

The only thing I wish they would do is offer a cycle miles scheme, Ive been pushing for it and they just won't budge!

hugo15

I am spoilt too. Electric showers that are hot, covered bike shed and 2 lockers, one near the showers and one near my office. Oh, and my colleagues haven't complained yet about me drying my kit in the office!! We also have the cycle to work scheme. Seriously tempted to get a fixie when it opens again in December.

Only gripe would be that the bike shed has no stands in it, so you have to lock your bike to the side of the shed. Means that when there is more than 10 or so bikes inside space is limited.

andrewc3142

Hot shower, secure parking (I can see my bike from my desk!), although unfortunately not covered, space to store clothes, etc

gb155

1 hot shower for our building, uncovered bike racks, Could be worse, of course it could be better lol.

AllyT

Cycle miles scheme. Never heard of it - what is it?

I'm lucky at work. The owner, bosses, and some employees are cyclists and runners, so we have really good showers (a lot better than I have at home), lockers, inside storeage for bikes, bike to work scheme. Some of the guys are quite good indeed, so us lesser folk can also get training / equipment advice. We are an engineering company, so we also have lots of contacts for various things, oils, cleaners, titainuim bolting, CNC machining. We have just started a running club, and are looking to start cycling and hillwalking clubs. Also looking at getting guest speakers in to give talks on health issues for employees such as nutrition, stretching and giving short massage sessions. Couldn't ask for more really. Very good for a smallish company of about 50 employees.

TrailandTrack.co.uk

Cycle miles is a scheme where employers reward staff for cycling to work and not using their car. So each day you ride your bike you earn points which you can then convert into vouchers for somewhere like Evans Cycles or Wiggle etc...

There is a good example of this run by GSK http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/walking/success/encouragingwalkingandcycling5796?page=4#rightmenu

I had even got to the extent of creating a design for cards and put together a plan for how it could be implemented and the estimated costs, but nothing came of it. A simple smart card based scheme can be set up for very little these days and its a great incentive!

Beeblebrox

It's pretty good where I work, part of the company does Green Travel Plans for other companies, so it'd be pretty hypocritical not to have facilities. Plus the guy in charge of the money for our office improvements is a cyclist.
We have a changing room, 2 hot showers, lockers and internal and external (covered) lock ups. We also have a tool kit, pump, workstand and a load of spare parts for free if needed

karl j

We have 2 showers which are easily accessed, unfortunately the water supply to them was cut off years ago and (allegedly) there is no money to reinstate it.

They are very good, however, in letting us use a piece of their wall to lean our bikes on during the day. Re. security and without going into too many details, the whole compound is secured by a high fence / razor wire & big electric gates and thankfully, because of their business, i really don't think my bike would be top of the list of anyone climbing over.

paulorg

I work for the NHS, I have access to a sink with cold running water and a towel that I take home to wash and dry. Our lock up facility is basically the same gents that provides the sink and cold water or a bike locker that you have to take your bike into the hospital to get a key for the locker to take outside again to get into the locker. They've also been "investigating" the bike2work scheme for about 3 years now, currently the consequences it will have on the pension scheme. It's like they want us all to be chubby pedestrians who obviously set a great example to general public. :roll:

linsen

I wade through all my pupils (I'm a secondary teacher) to get to a disabled loo, which is 5 minute walk from the clothes I keep at work. I have nowhere to keep my (at present uninsured) £1000 plus roadbike so I take it up to the resources room and lock it to a shelf. Pupils are not allowed to bring bikes to school so we have no racks at all, even uncovered. Still, I will persevere in the hope that I get noticed one day and something is done to promote healthy living amongst these allimportant teenagers - our future Olympic hopes!! I asked the local County Council about bike to work schemes (they after all have a fair number of employees!), but was informed that they don't do it, and even the cycle loan (interest free £500) wasn't available to teachers. I despair.....

TrailandTrack.co.uk

Seems ironic that the very government that wants to make people cycle to work and set up these incentives make it as difficult as possible for the people who work for government and associated agencies

fossyant

No showers - get changed in my office - use baby wipes to get clean. Outside, uncovered sheffield stands - I take a rain cover with me each day.

It's fine as I have my own office, but would be more tricky for those who share - a couple of disabled toilets to use.

That said, we are getting a new covered, swipe card access bike shed (sometime in September), and they are looking at refurbishing an old shower/changing room. Also introducing bike to work - so can't complain.

AndyManc

Cycle facilities ( inc. changing ) should be enshrined in employment law ....., I must have said that before. :roll:

Those without facilities need to approach their health and safety union rep .... if you don't have one .... become one

karl j

linsen wrote:

I wade through all my pupils to get to a disabled loo, which is 5 minute walk from the clothes I keep at work. I have nowhere to keep my (at present uninsured) £1000 plus roadbike. Pupils are not allowed to bring bikes to school so we have no racks at all, even uncovered. Still, I will persevere in the hope that I get noticed one day and something is done to promote healthy living amongst these allimportant teenagers ...

That is shocking, i thought all schools had to provide for those who chose to walk or cycle to school. Obviously not, then.

Sorry, it's not your fault i know. I am just amazed that a school, of all places, won't allow kids to cycle in. Surely teaching (or allowing) them exercise is really quite important if they are to maintain healthy lifestyles in the future.

mrushton

i work for a University that bangs on about 'car use' yet provides a few sheffield stands. We do have a leisure centre, but you have to pay to use the showers and it's at the opp.end of the Campus (10 mins walk). most people secrete their bike in their office or find a 'place' for it. Their is a shower facility in a nearby building, ut it only has one shower and is rarely cleaned. Not many people know about this shower and you have to get a key. Interestingly, the University Registrar is currently having his office 'decorated' which includes a shower being fitted + underfloor heating. he also has use of a Mercedes E-Class to run him to/from meetings - perks of the job!

girv73

In my present job we have 3 showers available for maybe 7-8 cyclists out of 50 employees. One is combined with a toilet, one is out of action and one is shared with the other occupants of the building (and currently out of action). There is a ground floor car park accessible through the lobby in which we've installed wall brackets for locking bikes too.

Previously I've had to do the get-washed-in-the-toilet thing though, so things have improved!

Very interested to hear about that cycle miles scheme, I'll check that out.

TrailandTrack.co.uk

I'll be honest now, as a computer programmer, I've taken a new found interest in the cycle miles scheme, not least to get the company I work for to set one up, but actually develop one myself and market it.

Ive done my research and Ive got a pretty sound plan to set up a scheme which companies could then buy and adopt. Its not expensive to set up, and ongoing costs are purely for administration and the payment of miles generated however, companies have an interest in ensuring their employees are happy and healthy so the costs of this surely outweigh the costs of losing staff through sikies or being unhappy!?

If anyone has any thoughts on it or ideas, let me know in the usual ways.

dafruk

Seems I'm quite a lucky one. on a 5 floor building with probably 400-500 occupants there are 3 disabled toilets all with showers in them. These are all cleaned regularly and used by about 6 people as showers and abused by a number of toilet users throughout the day.

lost_in_thought

We have a shower for the company on the 6th floor, which is fortunately not often used so I can use it. Failing that there's also a gym in the building where we get a very substantial discount on membership, and there are a lot of showers there!

There are no bike stands, the nice man from the council came and surveyed the road to see if it was possible, but deemed the pavement too narrow. But there are lots of lampposts, and 2 armed policemen 24hrs a day - one advantage of sharing with the israeli embassy!

We also have a very cool blast shelter in the basement... 8)

UnworthyPapaLazaru

I live in luxury

Covered and locked bike stand with CCTV (didnt stop one of my bikes getting knicked tho)
Showers with changing rooms and lockers
Gym
Swimming pool
5 a side pitch/tennis court
golf nets

Edit - forgot the sauna/steam room

Surf-Matt

Two showers, two baths, a pressure hose, any music I want, almost complete bike security, washing machine and tumble dryer for wet clothes - yep, we work at home!

dafruk

UnworthyPapaLazaru wrote:

I live in luxury

Covered and locked bike stand with CCTV (didnt stop one of my bikes getting knicked tho)
Showers with changing rooms and lockers
Gym
Swimming pool
5 a side pitch/tennis court
golf nets

Edit - forgot the sauna/steam room

Where do you work, by any chance is it the gym itself?

BigLee1

I don`t do too bad. Hot showers with towels and shower gel supplied and a drying rail for wet kit We could do with another bike shed though
Armed police patrols deter thieves.

always_tyred

No showers, no secure place to leave bike.

So, bike is double locked in the "lower ground floor" stairs in view of the pavement, and all stealable items removed.

Gym 5 mins away, no discount.

Nowhere to dry clothes. So, on wet days I have to bring spare cycling clothes, on dry days I have to risk leaving them on the bike outside.

The building manager is about as wide as she is tall and does not consider any assistance to the lone cyclist (what a curious concept) a priority. It would require re-stacking some cardboard boxes that are awaiting disposal, you see.

Anyone have worse provisions for cycling?

Littigator

underground bike rack for 6 bikes, secured and CCTVd
1 shower and storage space for clothing.

Although the bike rack and shower are shared between 200+ people there are only ever about 6 of us at peak times who use the facilities. In the middle of winter I can often be the only one who rides in.

That's lazy pampered bloody lawyers for you

cjcp

Bike comes up in the lift with me and lives in a cupboard in my room. Front wheel comes off and it stands on the rear one.

Shower and wash and spin dry the gear at the gym (after 9am so paying off peak only).

RSV_Ecosse

I'm a firefighter.

We have pretty good facilities at the station, our own personal lockers as well as showers, washing machine, drying room etc.

Kitchen and cooking facilities as well.

Canny complain. 8)